We talked to Gazillion Lead Designer Justin Bartlett to get the skinny on the Defenders Event and Elektra’s abilities!

Marvel.com: Street level villains and the Hand are in for some serious trouble with this Defenders Event coming up. What’s the team cooked up for us?

Justin Bartlett: We’re very excited that console players can finally check out our new Defenders Event on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One today. This event recently launched on PC and we want to continue bringing new themed events and content like this to “Marvel Heroes Omega” on all platforms. For now, players can expect a new Daily Defenders event mission and lots of great event exclusive gear as rewards.

Marvel.com: What can you tell us about the Defenders Event? What are we doing? Who are we beating down?

Justin Bartlett: The Hand has returned to New York City, and Misty Knight is on the lookout for heroes to help stop the ancient order. Players will find themselves facing off against the Hand incursion, collecting Orders from the Hand’s fallen foes. These items can be traded in for all kinds of event-exclusive prizes and rewards.

Marvel.com: And there are some new items we get to play with?

Justin Bartlett: You bet! We introduced a ton of new artifacts for this special event. One of my particular favorites is Elektra’s Mask. It has a great effect that summons Elektra. When it triggers, you’ll see Elektra in her new [costume from “Marvel’s Daredevil” on Netflix] jump into battle.

Marvel.com: But we also get Elektra now, the ultimate assassin herself! When I think about Elektra and her fighting style a few words come to mind: graceful, precise, deadly. What did the team focus on when bringing her to the game?

Justin Bartlett: Elektra really gave us a chance to show how an assassin can operate in the world of “Marvel Heroes Omega.” We really wanted to showcase how dangerous a hero can be when they focus on the most difficult of enemies. Players need to pick their targets wisely before executing critical strikes. So the team focused on making sure players have to make calculated choices.

Marvel.com: Can you talk a little about her skill trees? How are we going to be putting her sai and ninja skills to use?

Justin Bartlett: Elektra uses a wide variety of weapons and tools to dispatch her enemies. On one side, she utilizes the sais she is famously known for, as well as a segmented staff for players who like to get up close and personal with their victims. On the other side, she wields knife chains and poison darts to take out enemies from a distance. Whatever your playstyle, Elektra incorporates the use of stealth to strike unsuspecting enemies without them ever noticing.

What makes her truly unique is her Mark for Death mechanic. This can only affect high-value targets, like Elite enemies and Bosses, augmenting certain skills to be more effective, or enabling some of her highest damaging skills. For example, her Thrown Blade ability can only target a marked enemy to deal immense damage. If the enemy wasn’t a boss, they are instantly defeated.

Marvel.com: How does she fit into teams? What are we trying to do with her?

Justin Bartlett: Elektra is a highly mobile and evasive character who can deal damage up close or from a distance. She can also enlist the aid of Chaste Ninjas for a little added firepower. While she doesn’t boast much in the way of team-wide support skills, her value comes from high single-target damage.

Marvel.com: When does this event start and end?

Justin Bartlett: The event is going on now and will last for 14 days. So stop reading—Misty Knight is looking to hire some heroes to defend the world. Get out there and stop the Hand!

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Piecing Together Marvel Puzzle Quest: Daredevil and Elektra

Published Aug 24, 2017
By Ben Chabala

The Man Without Fear and the Hand's ultimate assassin return once more!

Have you checked out “Marvel’s The Defenders” on Netflix yet? If not, what are you waiting for? If so, D3 Go! has more Defenders action for ya, with an all-new Daredevil and Elektra available in “Marvel Puzzle Quest.” We talk about the Man Without Fear and the Hand’s ultimate assassin and get the lowdown on just what they’re capable of.

Marvel.com: I’m really excited to see a new Daredevil coming down the pipe, but why make him a 5-star as opposed to a 4? What kind of things does the team look for in making a new 5-Star character? Or in making a new 3-star, like Elektra (Assassin) for that matter?

Josh Austin: Daredevil is an amazing character and the powers that were designed for the Matt Murdock version are more in line with 5-Star characters. And with the release of “Marvel’s The Defenders” on Netflix, we are excited to have our first 5-star Defender in the game. And the new 3-star Elektra is a great addition too. We know many players are very interested in acquiring new 3-star characters so it seems like a good fit to have the combination of both these characters available at the same time.

Marvel.com: Daredevil (Man Without Fear) was one of my first PvE mainstays for his pure utility, getting rid of pesky enemy special tiles and with stuns for days. What’s different about this Matt Murdock?

Josh Austin: The 5-star Daredevil uses his sonar and his ability to damage multiple foes, but he does so with a lot more precision and really wrecks his opponents damage-wise. He also has an ability to gain health back based on each friendly strike tile on the board.

Marvel.com: Can you break down his kit for us?

Josh Austin: His first ability is called Fighting Spirit and it’s a passive yellow. When Daredevil gets below a certain health, he creates a strength 1,270 Yellow Strike tile that restores health for each friendly strike tile on the board (Max 5 tiles).

His second ability is called Hand-to-Hand and it costs 11 Green AP. This one can be devastating because it creates a countdown tile that deals damage each turn and if it’s matched away the player’s team gains 8 Green AP. However, if the tile is destroyed in any way other than being matched away, at level 5 it deals 15,525 damage and creates another Hand-To-Hand tile if one does not exist.

His last power is called Sonar Strike and it costs 9 Purple AP. Daredevil’s sonar vision helps him avoid enemy attacks and strike back by converting random enemy Strike, Protect, or Attack tiles to friendly Strike tiles and then stun the target. There is a Passive that while the enemy is Stunned, any damage dealt to that stunned enemy Daredevil deals extra damage on top of it.

Marvel.com: It seems like you’d want to pair Daredevil up with a teammate who can stun opponents, to get that juicy Sonar Strike passive damage, and someone who can easily get rid of his Hand-to-Hand tile. Anybody you have in mind?

Josh Austin: Depends on the strategy the player would like to utilize. Having characters that stun opponents to dish out the extra damage, heroes like some of the variations of Spider-Man, Thanos (The Mad Titan), Doctor Strange, Iceman, etc. Also if the player wants to use a character that fortifies the tile, that insures that the 5-Turn countdown tile will continuously damage the enemy team.

The player could benefit from using characters that create Strike tiles if they are worried about Daredevil receiving too much damage like The Punisher (Max), Rocket & Groot (Awesome Mix Volume 2), Blade (Modern). I know I’d personally use Grey Suit Black Widow for the Green AP generation and her abilities to help destroy the Hand-to-Hand tile for that extra damage.

Marvel.com: And Elektra looks like she’s keeping some of her old Unkillable tricks and learning a new one, Crippling Blow. What’s changed in this 3-Star variation?

Josh Austin: Elektra has some of the same abilities as her 4-Star counterpoint with the exception of Crippling Blow, which focuses on damage first, then leaves a 4-Turn Countdown tile on the board that deals damage to the enemy each time it counts down.

Marvel.com: How does Elektra (Assassin) fit on a team? Finding someone who can help her fire Crippling Blow seems like it would be a legit strategy.

Josh Austin: Finding someone gives her Black AP or fortifies her Countdown tile definitely works well. She’s also great with heroes that convert or destroy enemy tiles into friendly tiles like Loki, Bullseye (Classic), Daredevil (Man Without Fear) and She-Hulk (Modern).

Marvel.com: And when can we take these two ninja-trained fighters to the streets?

Josh Austin: They will debut in the Galactus Hungers event that starts today. Elektra is given out as round rewards while Daredevil can be earned in a special store called Hornhead with Legendary Tokens that can be purchased or earned as rewards given from the event. The Hornhead store runs from August 24 through August 28. There will also be a featured Elektra event called The Hunt that starts on August 27.

Be sure to check out all the Defender related Versus Tournaments including Assassin For Hire that is going on now, Cage Match that starts on August 24, and Blind Justice that starts on August 27. We are excited to share that those that earn 300+ points in these events will earn 10,000 Insider points at Marvel Insider. Visit Marvel Insider for all the opportunities to earn and redeem rewards for Marvel Puzzle Quest.

Pick up Daredevil (Man Without Fear) and Elektra (Assassin) here and stay tuned to Marvel.com for more “Marvel Puzzle Quest” news and interviews.

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The Defenders Return to Battle The Hand in ‘Marvel Avengers Academy’

Published Aug 17, 2017
By Justin Snyder

Get ready to defend!

The Guardians flew back down, Spidey swung through again, and now the Defenders of Hell’s Kitchen return to Avengers Academy to battle a new threat in their neighborhood. Kingpin’s been imprisoned for nearly a year, and in that time Madame Gao stepped in to fill the power vacuum left in the criminal underworld of Hell’s Kitchen. The Defenders and the rest of the Academy students – with the help of a few new friends – need to dispatch Madame Gao and take back the neighborhood once more.

We grabbed a few minutes with Allen Warner, Lead Narrative Designer at TinyCo, to see what The Hand has in store for us at the “Marvel Avengers Academy”.

Marvel.com: The Defenders are making their way back to Avengers Academy! What’s bringing the team to campus once more?

Allen Warner: With the Kingpin imprisoned, Madame Gao has seized control of the Hand, and conquered Hell’s Kitchen. The Defenders held her off as long as they could, but she countered by kidnapping some of their closest friends and allies, forcing them to regroup and call in reinforcements. With a firm hold on Hell’s Kitchen, and the combined resources of both the Hand and Kingpin’s entire operation, Madame Gao sets her sights on retrieving a powerful artifact that Director Fury has locked away in one of his secret vaults, launching a full-scale assault on Avengers Academy.

Marvel.com: Will players be returning to Hell’s Kitchen with the new event district?

Allen Warner: Yes, we’ll be revisiting Hell’s Kitchen and all of its iconic locales like Alias Investigations, Josie’s, and the law offices of Nelson and Murdock. We’ll also be bringing back the Academy Courthouse from our Daredevil event, and giving some new recruits fun courtroom animations.

Marvel.com: How will the Avengers battle Madame Gao and her Hand minions?

Allen Warner: The Defenders and Avengers will team up to battle Madame Gao and her special henchmen on campus, as well as traveling away from the school to stop the Hand ninjas from attempting to take over the world.

Marvel.com: As with the Guardians and Spidey events before this, will players once again be able to recruit Defenders heroes from the previous event?

Allen Warner: Yes, this is a similar structure where players will be given another opportunity to get characters from the original Daredevil event, as well as some other characters who weren’t part of that event, but make sense to be involved with the Defenders. Players will have a chance to get Iron Fist, Daredevil, Hellcat, Elektra, Misty Knight, Punisher, Luke Cage, and Jessica Jones. They may also have an opportunity to get some characters who you wouldn’t associate with the Defenders TV show, but who have been part of various Defenders teams in the comics. We’ll also be resurfacing all of the outfits from the Daredevil event, including what might be my personal favorite Avengers Academy outfit of all time, Lawyer Loki. We learned in the original Daredevil event that Loki has a gift for lawyering, and a fondness for lawyers and the profession, and that will continue in this event with some fun results.

Marvel.com: While those who missed out will be excited to try for all those returning favorites, what new faces join the mix?

Allen Warner: A cool and diverse group of characters who are often thought of as supporting players, but who will take center stage and show their heroic sides during this event: Foggy Nelson, Colleen Wing, Stick, and Claire Temple. They each bring a really unique and fresh perspective to not only the events at hand, but the Avengers heroes and Avengers Academy traditions. Our awesome art team did some really great and brand-new things with their various visual levels, and their animations are really fun, and play to their unique occupations, personalities, and talents. I’m really excited about this group from a narrative perspective because there is so much unexplored territory. These characters typically only interact with the characters in their respective spheres, so there’s a ton of opportunity to do things that no one has ever seen before. Foggy will form relationships and go on adventures with Loki and Captain America. Claire Temple will go on an intergalactic rescue mission with Cosmo the Spacedog. Stick will butt heads with J. Jonah Jameson. Madame Gao will match wits with Mephisto, and so on. One of my favorite things about the world we’ve built in this game is having the opportunity to reimagine and expand upon existing characters and Marvel lore, and this event and this group of recruits provided an awesome opportunity to do a lot of things that have never been done before.

Marvel.com: What new ways will our heroes suit up to dispatch the Hand threat?

Allen Warner: In addition to the resurfaced outfits from the previous Daredevil event, there will be new outfits and stories for Hulk, Punisher, Elektra, Iron Fist, and Misty Knight. We love coming up with new looks for our characters that are unique to the world of Avengers Academy, but we decided to take a different approach this time around and only include outfits that have appeared in the comics. Some are very recent looks that fans may not even be aware of, while others are iconic looks that have been around for decades. They all look incredible, are completely different from the characters’ usual outfits, and add a new angle to their personalities and powers that make for some really fun animations and stories.

Marvel.com: As excited as we are to dive back into Hell’s Kitchen and dispatch Madame Gao, there’s always one eye on the horizon. Can you tease anything coming down the line for the Academy and its heroes?

Allen Warner: One of our frequently teased schools will finally have to come out of hiding, and they’ll be bringing more recruitable characters with them than ever before.

Elektra: House Money

Discussing the end of the master assassin’s Las Vegas adventure with writer Matt Owens!

Unlike most visitors to Las Vegas, Elektra will be getting gone when the getting is good.

Before the lethal lady grabs the next flight out of the glittering glitzy desert, however, we cajoled ELEKTRA writer Matt Owens to talk about how her time on the Strip changed her and what he learned about Ms. Natchios over the course of this series.

Marvel.com: Obviously, when you start the pitch for a character you have a distinct idea of him or her. However, over time, often, that perspective may evolve and change. In writing ELEKTRA, how did the titular character evolve for you? Where did she start and where did she end up in terms of how you thought of her?

Matt Owens: I learned an important lesson as I watched Elektra do the same throughout this story. I think Elektra is very similar at the beginning and the end of this story. The lesson learned is that that is ok. We are who we are. Failures, faults, fears. Elektra was running from a lot but ultimately she was running from herself. At the end of this series, she is not running anymore.

Marvel.com: Continuing that thread of how Elektra changed within the book, how do you see her trip to Sin City as having made her over? What ramifications can you imagine these changes having down the road?

Matt Owens: I think the biggest ramifications are going to be for those who have screwed her over most recently. After her most recent run-in with Daredevil, she tried to escape all the pain and bull. Now she realizes that there is nowhere she can go where someone will not be messing with her. So it’s going to give her a great drive heading back to New York. She has certain people in her [crosshairs] and she is a newly motivated Elektra.

Marvel.com: One aspect that you really dug into in the book is how Elektra’s past echoes into her future. Now this can be said for all of us, but why is it especially true for her? Do you view those echoes as helping her or imprisoning her in her current life?

Matt Owens: They do both.

One of the themes of this book is how your past informs your future. Are either of those two things escapable? Are they intricately intertwined? We see how Elektra deals with failing to save people. It’s a hang-up of hers from her early days of trying to be a hero. And it has a big impact on her in the present day story.

Similarly, her future seems to be rooted in her past as well. Both in the place and people it will involve. It’s inescapable. Which can be a frustrating realization to come.

Marvel.com: Artistically, how did your collaboration with Juan Cabal progress? How did you two aid/push each other creatively?

Matt Owens: Working with Juan was one of the most fun parts of this book. I make a lot of references to things in my scripts. It’s how I think and talk. Juan and I very quickly learned that we love the same sorts of things.

Elektra #5 cover by Elizabeth Torque

I would make a reference to the One Piece manga and he would visually know what I was getting at. I would make a Final Fantasy reference and he would come back with something even bigger and better than I imagined. You can definitely see the visual influences on our version of Murder World. It ends up being our sort of homage to Gold Saucer. It evolved over the course of the run as we got to know each other better.

We made each other laugh a lot and challenged each other and I think the book turned out great because of that.

Marvel.com: Making Arcade the central villain of the story certainly pitted Elektra against a nontraditional opponent. Looking back over the arc, what do you think that helped you reveal about your protagonist as a character? Similarly, what did putting Arcade against someone he doesn’t generally cross swords with help you to explore or highlight about him?

Matt Owens: Going to Vegas was a selfish act on Elektra’s part. Finally fed up with everything she has had to deal with in her life/lives, she chose to flee. But a hero does not get to give up his/her duty so easily. It was a difficult lesson to learn, but that was [what] Arcade forced her to see. That she is innately good. She will help people. She’s had failures in the past, but that does not make her any less of a hero. On the physical side, it also solidified why Elektra is one of the deadliest members of the Marvel Universe. She got to show off a lot of skills in this story. It was fun having her in an unfamiliar environment and seeing how she would get herself out of certain situations.

Now for Arcade, going up against Elektra was the ultimate instance of flying too close to the sun. He had a lot to prove with this new Murder World. He was still dangerous, he was still entertaining, and he can still kill the best. He’s desperate to try and reclaim his perceived seat at the high table of super villains. But as he explains to Elektra, even these current machinations are at the behest of someone else. He thought he could taste former glory, but it eluded him once again.

Marvel.com: Looking specifically at issue #5, why is it a must-have for any fans of Elektra the character or your ELEKTRA series?

Matt Owens: I think it helps solidify, for the universe and for Elektra herself, her importance and ties to New York. Specifically to characters like Daredevil and Wilson Fisk. The impetus for her flight to Vegas was an attempt to get away from things in her past. Matt, New York, heroism. Only to realize at the end that no matter what she does, she is inexplicably tied to those people [and] that place. It is her destiny. Whether she likes it or not.

That’s a hard realization to come to. Elektra has been a tool used by so many people for a long time. Oftentimes feeling like her choices are not her own. This battle with Arcade and the implications behind it have proven that to be true to an extent. And that is not going to sit well with Elektra. Now she can return to her rightful corner of the universe and face the very things she was trying to push away head on.

Go all in on ELEKTRA #5 by Matt Owens and Juan Cabal, available June 28!

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Flashback Friday: Elektra

In her first appearance, the ninja assassin bets on red!

Every Friday we use the powers of Marvel Unlimited to look back at the very first appearance of a major character, place or object that made waves this week.

As ELEKTRA #1 bets our favorite Sai-wielding assassin’s life in a Vegas-set adventure by Matt Owens and Juan Cabal this week, it’s the best time possible to roll back the tape and check out her debut.

Created as part of Frank Miller’s epic DAREDEVIL run, Elektra first appeared in 1981’s issue #168. The writer and artist put the basics of her relationship with the Man Without Fear right on the cover in a blurb that read: “Once he loved her…now she is his most deadly enemy!”

While looking for information, Daredevil ran into some punks who preferred fisticuffs to communication. As he handled them, Elektra watched from her perch on a nearby power line. As she worried that the Man Without Fear’s presence could “ruin everything,” he completely missed her presence because of the fight.

A moment later, the warrior woman threw the handle-end of her Sai into the back of Daredevil’s head and proceeded to beat up our hero’s quarry in an effort to get the same intel. Just before passing out from injuries sustained, Matt Murdock recognized Elektra.

While unconscious, Matt’s mind drifted back to meeting the woman known as Elektra Natchios back when he and Foggy Nelson attended Columbia. They literally ran into the young lady, her father, and their body guards, which gave the future Daredevil a chance to take in her scent.

Daredevil (1964) #168

Later, Matt used a paper airplane and less-than-subtle subterfuge to distract the bodyguard so he could briefly converse with Elektra and pass her a rose. After she said she didn’t want to go out with him, Matt spilled the beans on his secret origin, explaining his heightened senses.

The play worked and the two had a year of happiness in college. That all ended when some terrorists held Elektra and her father at gunpoint and Matt’s attempt at diffusing the situation inadvertently led to Mr. Natchios’ death. She didn’t stick around long after that, returning to Europe and a life that would eventually shape her into one of the world’s foremost assassins.

Eventually Daredevil recovered and made it to the docks in time to help save Elektra from some of the men she tried to pump for info. Before leaving, he kissed her and she knew the masked man’s true identity.

Elektra stuck around for a while, but eventually wound up on the wrong end of her own Sai thanks to an attack by Bullseye in DAREDEVIL #181. Far from her last appearance, the master of combat has spent time as the head of the Hand, a Thunderbolt and even an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Flash Forward

Much to her chagrin, Elektra fell to the invaders during Secret Invasion. As seen in MIGHTY AVENGERS #16, the assassin nearly defeated an entire squad of shapeshifters, but lost in battle to a Super Skrull sporting a combination of Invisible Woman and Colossus’ abilities called Pagon. This is the Skrull who then took over the Hand and sacrificed itself in battle with the Avengers to let the heroes know they’d been infiltrated. That story actually set off the invasion in NEW AVENGERS #31 when the dead “Elektra” turned green and Skrully. Upon escaping from her initial captors, Elektra and others found themselves incarcerated by S.H.I.E.L.D. and its follow-up organization H.A.M.M.E.R., run by Norman Osborn. Being one of the most dangerous people on the planet, though, she eventually broke out and got back to her life as can be seen in DARK REIGN: ELEKTRA.

Read More

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Elektra: An Assassin's Past

Published Jan 26, 2017
By Tucker Chet Markus

Learn the chaotic story of the shadowy warrior before she begins a new chapter!

A mercenary ninja with a complex web of allies and foes, trained by the Hand, on the run from her past. Next month, the scarlet assassin returns in a brand-new series with ELEKTRA #1 by writer Matt Owens and artist Juann Cabal on February 22!

We’ll soon find her in the glow of Las Vegas—the perfect city for someone with a history of sin. But it’s only a matter of time before her luck runs out, and a long and difficult history catches up.

Elektra’s story began far from Las Vegas lights and noise, on a small Greek island, where famed businessman and diplomat Hugo Kostas Natchios and his wife Christina Natchios welcomed a daughter into the world. A fraught political climate led to the murder of Elektra’s mother, defining her early life with violence and destruction. After Christina’s death, Hugo implored her to train in self-defense as a martial artist.

After Elektra’s father became Greek ambassador to the United States, she traveled to New York to study law at Columbia University. There, she met fellow classmate Matt Murdock. The two grew close, attracted by each other’s’ simpatico physical abilities and dark beginnings.

A new life seemed to be dawning for Elektra, but the past repeated itself, and her father, like her mother, feel to violence from terrorists. In a haze of anger and regret, the young woman left New York City for the Mountain of the Chaste, a sacred enclave of mystical martial artists led by the master sensei, Stick.

The Chaste, entangled in an eternal battle with their spiritual adversaries, the Hand, accepted and trained Elektra. However, still imbued by the darkness and rage of her chaotic past, she broke away from the Chaste—and joined the Hand.

After studying both extremes of the martial arts, Elektra went rogue, leaving both the Chaste and the Hand, for a life as a freelance assassin. Now an expert-level martial artist, highly-advanced with a range of mystical abilities and blunt-force weaponry including her signature sai, Elektra’s mercenary work has brought her back to New York City more than once where she has often run afoul of her onetime love Matt Murdock, aka the hero Daredevil.

As her reputation grew across the globe, “Elektra” became more than just a first name, it became a title. Now, having retreated to the City of Sin, Elektra prepares her next move.

Start a new journey with ELEKTRA #1, by Matt Owens and Juann Cabal, on February 22!

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Running with the Devil: Elektra

The deadly assassin tries her luck in Las Vegas with a new ongoing series!

Elektra Natchios has decided to seek a fresh start. To leave the familiar behind, she has set her eyes on The Strip: Las Vegas, Nevada.

She will not have to do it alone though as writer Matt Owens—of “Marvel’s Luke Cage” fame—and artist Alec Morgan will be by her side to guide the journey as chronicled in the ELEKTRA ongoing series kicking off in February of 2017. Unfortunately, not everyone in the City of Sin will prove as supportive.

As Elektra packs for her trip, we sat down with Owens to talk the new book, being part of the Daredevil universe, and writing comics for the first time.

Marvel.com: Elektra has a very different presentation to the world in general than she does to Daredevil and a furthermore different presentation behind the masks with just Matt Murdock. With her inclusion in this storytelling universe, how is that affecting your vision of the character? How do you make sure to honor all sides of the character within the story?

Matt Owens: Elektra has a very deep and complicated past. It’s a challenging balance to honor that while also trying to move a character forward. No matter where we find her we know one thing to be true about her above all else: she’s a badass. That part will never change. Putting her in unfamiliar places and matching her against unfamiliar foes is what will bring out sides to her she has not explored or is trying to run from. She’s Yojimbo, wandering from nothing and toward nothing. But the call of a hero is hard to ignore.

Marvel.com: In general, how do you view the relationship between Matt Murdock and Elektra Natchios? How do they affect, influence, and motivate one another?

Matt Owens: Theirs is an ideal relationship.

That might sound strange. [Laughs] They bring out the best in each other as far as their fighting and drives are concerned. But they also understand and accept each other’s flaws. Matt and Elektra are two damaged people. It’s hard to open yourself up when you see yourself that way. But these two found one another. But for all the issues they have they are ultimately the one other person they have to turn to for understanding. I think it’s very sweet.

Marvel.com: In general, as a writer, what excites you about being a part of this creative endeavor? How does this extended playground of sorts enhance that experience for you?

Matt Owens: Comics are the greatest! This is where it all started for me. Reading Spider-Man comics as a kid is how I expanded my vocabulary and learned to explore my imagination. My entire career in television is due to my love and knowledge of comics. So now the opportunity to come full circle and work on a book myself is really a dream come true.

Marvel.com: To widen the lens even further, you are fairly new to comics writing, although not comics characters with your work on “Marvel’s Luke Cage.” What is it like for you to tackle this medium? What are the challenges and the thrills?

Matt Owens: I couldn’t be more thankful to finally jump in on my first book! I had an internship in college under such greats as Cully Hamner and Brian Stelfreeze so while I’m not new to comics, this is my first time writing one professionally.

Comics are a purely visual medium. It is all in what you’re giving to your reader. Art, dialogue, everything. That is equal parts exciting and terrifying. Where else could you get to write a scene where a character dives out of a spaceship, shooting missiles at guys while free falling, and [lands[ on top of a mountain?

But that said, you also have to be very very specific when mapping things out. Working closely with artists and editors to ensure that what you’re putting to paper makes sense.

Marvel.com: How is it to collaborate with artist Alec Morgan? What’s it like to have your words interpreted through the art as opposed to in the performances of actors? How does it inform your approach to writing?

Matt Owens: Alec is supremely talented. It’s exciting to see your words come to life through the interpretation of an artist. Especially when they have better ideas than you. [Laughs]

Sometimes you get things back and go “Oh man! This is even better than I described it.” The back and forth of collaboration is the greatest part to me.

Marvel.com: How is it as a writer to be working in closer concert with not just your artist but other creators like Matthew Rosenberg, Ed Brisson, Charles Soule, Ron Garney, and so on? How does it inform your process?

Matt Owens: It’s a wonderful team that’s been brought together for the Daredevil Universe books. I’ve gotten to see some of the stories coming ahead for the other characters and people are gonna lose their minds. We’re doing some very fun stuff. And seeing the work the others are doing really makes me step my own game up!

Marvel.com: To focus more on the plot elements of your opening story, what attracted you to the idea of placing Elektra in the unusual to her environment of Las Vegas? How does the character feel about the City of Sin?

Matt Owens: When we find Elektra in this story she is trying to hide in plain sight. She’s running. From everything. Vegas is a place that is extremely unfamiliar to her so that makes it perfect for her to hide out. But much like New York, Vegas has a dark side. And Elektra may not be able to stay out of trouble for long.

Marvel.com: What kind of threat does Arcade represent to Elektra? And vice versa, why does Arcade see Elektra as a threat or a target worthy of his attention?

Matt Owens: I love Arcade! He is so kooky. But at the same time he is not someone to be underestimated. He’s a brilliant inventor and a sadistic killer. He’s incredibly dangerous. It’s a different kind of threat for Elektra. As far as his interest in Elektra, she is one of the most formidable killers in the Marvel Universe. She fits perfectly into the new game he has constructed. So when she comes on his radar he simply can’t resist!

Marvel.com: Looking beyond the opening storyline but avoiding any overt spoilers, in what state—physically and mentally—does Elektra arrive back in New York after?

Matt Owens: Driven. The events in Vegas and the events that lead her back to New York are directly tied to one another. The harder she fights the pull, the quicker she gets sucked back in. We’re hoping to take her back pissed off and maybe with some new toys.

Marvel.com: Overall, what kind of tone are you striving for in the book? What elements are you striving to emphasize?

Matt Owens: I really want to hit the ninja elements of Elektra. What does stealth look like in Vegas? What cool and different ways can she use her weapons? Thinking about what is ninja in 2016 has been a fun jumping off point for her.

Not that I consider [myself] anywhere near as good as him, but [writer] Matt Fraction is a big influence of mine. I’m trying to do something similar to what he did with HAWKEYE. Great action, humor, crime. All those elements are at play in this book. Elektra is on her own. We’ll have some inner monologues with her that show her very dry wit. She’s a complex person so it will be a complex book.

Marvel.com: Stepping around me to speak directly to fans, how would you sell them on adding this title to their pull lists?

Matt Owens: I love Marvel. I am a fan at heart. I want to create the kinds of stories that I’m interested in. Elektra vs Arcade. Who would ever think of those two going toe to toe? A ninja trained in the old school versus a tech mastermind in the entertainment capital of the world? It’s gonna be crazy. Elektra is someone who has been defined by her past. If you want to see what is in store for her looking forward, then you’re going to want to pick this up.

Sharpen your sais for ELEKTRA by Matt Owens and Alec Morgan, available in February 2017!

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Marvel Heroes 2016 Roll Call: Elektra

Published Apr 15, 2016
By Ben Chabala

Elektra in Marvel Heroes 2016

The deadliest assassin in the Marvel Universe slices up some MMO action!

Sai-flying assassin extraordinaire Elektra Natchios makes her inaugural playable appearance in “Marvel Heroes 2016.” We talked to Gazillion Senior Game Designer Michael May to get the lowdown on Elektra and all her awesome abilities.

Marvel.com: Elektra Natchios just jumped into “Marvel Heroes” as the game’s 57th playable character! What was the thinking behind bringing Elektra into the fray?

Michael May: It’s kind of crazy that it took 57 characters to get to such a popular character, isn’t it? Speaks volumes to the depth of great characters in the Marvel Universe! We’ve definitely wanted her playable for a long time, and what better time than shortly after such an amazing debut in season two of “Marvel’s Daredevil” on Netflix?

Marvel.com: What are the core fantasies the team wanted to address with Elektra? What specific things does she do that no one else in the game can?

Michael May: Elektra really drills down on the ninja/assassin fantasy, and we’ve captured that well based on what we’ve heard from feedback. Her unique mechanic, Marked for Death, allows her to single out individual high value targets in a crowd and take them out with ease. For example, Elektra can instantly defeat just about anything that isn’t a boss with her Thrown Blade and Behind You powers, which can only be used against targets that have been Marked for Death. Although there have been a couple of cases of “instagib” powers in the past, none have been able to use in such quick succession as Elektra. Add in her built-in stealth capabilities and you have yourself a potent, deadly assassin.

Marvel.com: Can you talk a little about her skill trees? What are some of your favorite abilities?

Michael May: Elektra’s first tree focuses on her primary iconic weapon, the Sai. Though we included many lesser known weaponry, such as the Sansetsukon—Three-Section Staff—most of Elektra’s melee attacks involve poking and stabbing with her classic Sai. This tree contains my personal favorite power of Elektra’s, her Signature, “Not Even The Stars”—Elektra disappears and reappears at a location, then begins a rapid series of dashing strikes across a target, ripping apart anything caught in the area. Her second tree focuses on a variety of weaponry, including Blow Darts, Shurikens, and a potent Knife Rope. Lastly, her Ninja tree focuses on stealth, mobility, and her connection with the Chaste; the “At My Bidding” power allows Elektra to call in Chaste ninjas to assassinate targets for her.

Marvel.com: What role does she fill on teams?

Michael May: Simply put, she’s a very high damage single-target DPS character. What she lacks in area clearing she makes up for in high burst damage against important targets, and can avoid the need to clear out rooms by slipping into stealth to avoid them altogether. We suspect Elektra will be very strong in both Raids and Cosmic Danger Room, two of our most difficult forms of endgame content.

Marvel.com: And for players looking for more than just the traditional red outfit, she’s also sporting her black costume from “Marvel’s Daredevil” right?

Michael May: That’s right—and she looks really great in it! We love what they did with her costume for the show. It still feels very “Elektra” while also looking very distinct—which is great when you’re dealing with alternate costumes for a game!

Marvel.com: And we can grab Elektra for ourselves right now?

Michael May: Yes! She’s available now at marvelheroes.com, or you can get her through the in-game store.

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Elektra Strikes in Daredevil #6

The assassin returns in art by Matteo Buffagni!

Matt Murdock may have somehow managed to hide his identity from the rest of the world, but there are some pieces of his past he cannot escape.

This April, the past comes back to haunt him in DAREDEVIL #6, the exciting first chapter of the new storyline “Elektric Connection”! Writer Charles Soule and guest artist Matteo Buffagni bring the fury of an assassin scorned to the choked streets and smoky rooftops of Hell’s Kitchen. Elektra is back and she’s got a score to settle with the Man Without Fear! As these once lovers battle across the Big Apple, Daredevil may rue the day he ever crossed paths with Elektra.

Hell's Kitchen Erupts in New 'Marvel's Daredevil' Motion Poster

The battle begins when Season 2 of 'Marvel's Daredevil' debuts tomorrow, only on Netflix!

The “Devil of Hell’s Kitchen” hits the street in an all-new motion poster for Season 2 of “Marvel’s Daredevil”! Check out the poster below and watch “Marvel’s Daredevil,” debuting only on Netflix tomorrow.

In Season 2 of the Netflix series, Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) tries to save his city by dishing out his own form of justice. When the deadly vigilante Punisher (Jon Bernthal) begins to make a name for himself, Daredevil must walk the line of justice and revenge, while the mysterious Elektra (Elodie Yung) returns to Matt’s life! See what happens when this trio unites in the moition poster above.

Watch Season 2 of “Marvel’s Daredevil,” streaming only on Netflix starting tomorrow! Make sure to follow @Daredevil on Twitter and like “Marvel’s Daredevil” on Facebook for all the latest news and updates.